THE Liberals' chances of winning at next week's state election
are to be dealt a savage blow, with would-be coalition partners the
Nationals planning an anti-Liberal advertising assault throughout
country Victoria.

The Age believes the advertisements, set to appear within
days, will brand the Liberals as "city-centric" and attack Liberal
leader Ted Baillieu's policies.

Nationals leader Peter Ryan launched a stinging attack on the
Liberals yesterday, after the major parties made controversial
preference arrangements that will hurt the Greens and could ruin
the rural party.

Labor and the Liberals deny doing a deal, but Labor has begun
distributing how-to-vote cards directing preferences to the
Liberals ahead of the Nationals.

At the last election, Labor preferenced the Nationals. If they
continue to direct preferences to the Liberals, several Nationals
MPs, including Mr Ryan, could lose their seats.

The Liberals have begun distributing an open how-to-vote card in
the four inner Melbourne seats in which the Greens have a chance of
defeating sitting Labor MPs. At the last election, Liberal
preferences were directed to the Greens.

Labor will be virtually assured of retaining the seats 
Melbourne, Richmond, Northcote and Brunswick  unless the
Greens receive the overwhelming bulk of Liberal preferences.

Speaking at the Melbourne Press Club yesterday, Mr Ryan said the
"big boys" appeared to be trying to ensure that the "voice of
country Victoria" ceased to exist.

"Welcome to Survivor: Spring Street," he said. "This is
where alliances are formed, where people think they have associates
who will stand by them come what may. That through thick and thin
they can rely upon (people) only to find of course that you
turn around and such is not the case at all."

Mr Ryan promised retribution. "If anybody thinks that the
Nationals are just going to lie back and enjoy it and not do
anything about it, they're wrong. What we are receiving now we are
going to return with interest over the next few days," he said.

Asked by The Age what that would involve, Mr Ryan said:
"There are 10 days to go, nine sleeps. A lot of television viewing,
a lot of country newspapers out there yet to run, a lot of radio,
and we will be on them all."

The planned advertisements would signal warfare between the two
conservative parties in the days before the November 25 poll, with
a senior Liberal source saying Labor would be the only party to
benefit.

Meanwhile, Labor stepped up its attack on Mr Baillieu over his
multimillion-dollar share portfolio. Advertisements broadcast last
night said Mr Baillieu would be a "part-time premier" because he
would have to absent himself from numerous cabinet decisions
because of conflict of interests.

Mr Baillieu said he would continue to declare all his
shareholdings.

Despite Mr Ryan's salvo, Mr Baillieu said he had a good
relationship with the Nationals.

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